Goals will win striker Albion deal

Albion manager Tony Mowbray today told in-form striker Roman Bednar he must impress for the rest of the season to win a permanent Hawthorns contract.

The Baggies have reached a prospective deal with Hearts to sign Bednar in the summer when his season-long loan from Tynecastle.

But Mowbray has challenged the seven-goal Czech to continue hitting the net to force Albion to activate the deal.

"Roman has got 20 games to go in the league and he has to show over those 20 games, whether it's as a starter or a sub, that he has a big part to play," said Mowbray.

"Everything is put in place for if we decide to pick that up and he has not done himself any harm so far in those stakes, I would suggest."

Bednar has been a massive hit with Baggies fans since stepping up to first-team level because of injuries and scoring seven goals in as many starts.

And he is due to return at Hull tonight with a glowing endorsement from his manager ringing in his ears.

"When he first came here all he seemed to be doing was running and working with the physio and then joining in with training and trying to find his feet and get his quality back," said Mowbray.

"But fitness and quality go hand and hand and if you're fit you don't not to concentrate on your technique because it's there and it comes naturally.

"He struggled for a bit but then the best thing that happened to him was that we got a few injuries just at the point where fitness was no longer a problem to him.

"He got that opportunity and he grasped it with both hands.

"I had Phillips and Miller scoring every week nearly but I've now got a scenario where Bednar is in amongst that on his goals-per-game ratio."